By Writer-director Jim Abrahams, who co-wrote and co-directed some of the most iconic comedy films of the 1980s including “The Naked Gun” and “Airplane!” (aka. “Flying High”), has died. He was 80.
Abrahams died of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica according to his son Joseph in a statement issued to THR.
Together with brothers Jerry and David Zucker, the trio first delivered 1977’s “The Kentucky Fried Movie” before really breaking through internationally with 1980’s “Airplane”.
Their slapstick comedies combined parodies, visual gags and breaking of the fourth wall and the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker team quickly established a strong following.
They followed “Airplane!” with spy spoof “Top Secret!” before working on the more traditional dark comedy “Ruthless People” with Bette Midler and Danny DeVito. Midler and Abrahams re-teamed two years later on her twin-themed comedy “Big Business”.
In 1988 came their most iconic hit of all – “The Naked Gun”. A reworking of their acclaimed but quickly cancelled TV series “Police Squad,” the film became a major worldwide success. Abrahams executive produced the two sequels, but went off on his own with 1990 comedy-drama flop “Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael”.
A year later he co-wrote and directed the Charlie Sheen-led “Top Gun” spoof “Hot Shots” which was another major hit, and followed that up two years later with a sequel which spoofed “Rambo” and “Apocalypse Now”.
Abrahams was also an executive producer on John Waters’ “Cry-Baby,” helmed the comedy “Mafia!” and wrote “Scary Movie 4”.
He’s survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter, and three grandchildren.
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